Ignition for combustion-chambers.



LA. IIAIIIES.

IGNITION FOR COI'IIIIUSTION CHAMBERS.

APPLICATION FILED ocr. 1, IsII'.

IzItenIed NOI'. 5, 1918.

z SHEETS- suur I.

IIIIZII I MIMI L. A. HAINES. AIGNITION FOR CUMBUSTION CHAMBERS.

' APPLICATION FILED ocr. I, I9I1.

D@ l I U. w 2 w m I I I III SIM w m w I I I II II N m l I Im IIIIIII l I\I W. z u I I, ..I I I I I/I/IIIIIIJIII I ,II I I I III IL ,II II I I QI II. \I @I M I I/l/I I @MIP e I u I I I I@ I a Q I Q I IE. II I s, I uI m I I w n I, I I t. S In w I, l R QI I I @I 53 I II I I IIIIII a I.III Km. I @I @I I! IQ renrrron ron consumeren-enanas.

specification oi Letters Patent.

Patented Nov. 5, 11n..

application tiled October 1, 1917. aerial No. 1941,1931.

.To all whom t may concern:

Be it known that I Lewis A. Hamas, citizen ofthe lUnited tates, residingat Columbus, in the county of Franklin and State of Ohio', have inventednew and useful 1mprovements in Direct Electric ll ition forCombustion-Chambers for Gasurbines, of

. which the following is a specification.

. This invention relates to electric ignition means for the combustionchambers of gas turbines, and consists of an improvement on the ignitionmeans-and correlativa parts of the cylinders and combustion chambersdisclosed by my lU. S. Patents Nos. 1,219,297 and 1,219,298 grantedMarch 13, 1917.' lin -the said patents, the cylinders` and reciproeatingpistons therein are disposed around a drive or turbine operate insuccession and in varied numbers to compress and ignite charges of anexplosive motive agent and `deliver the exploded and highlyheatedcharges to rotors or turbine devices for generating power andsimultaneously operating the active parts of the turbine or motor as awhole to control shaft and automaticallythe supply of the motive agentto the cylinders and pistons, the regular reciprocation of said pistons.and the admission to the com'f pression and ignition chambers of chargesof scavenging air which'also serve to cool the heated parts ofthe'turbine. 1n said patents also, the ignition and combustion of thecompressed motive agent is produced by means exterior of the combustionchambers at points distant from the outlets'to the rotor or turbinedevice with a certain delay in the release and a deterioration of theburned motive l'agent' and its e'ectiveness as anv actuating mediumrelatively to the said rotor or turbine device. 1n the presentimprovement'the ignition ofthe charges of motive agent takes placethrough the opera"` tion of means located directly in the conupressionchambers of the reciprocating pisn -tons subsequent to and during theretention means also the firing of the charges' sparks are producedwithin the compressed a charges.

One very effective and practical ystructure embodying the features ofthe invention is shown in the accompanying drawings, and therein: 4

Figure 1 is a cross section through a group ofcylinders, pistons, driveshaft and other correlated parts of a gas turbine, showing the featuresof the present invention embodied therein.

Figj2 is a slightly enlarged sectional'view of one of the cylinders andpistons and intimately related parts thereof, showing the piston at thefull limit of its instroke and in a position/to discharge the burnedmotive agent from the compression chamber thereof.

Fig. 3 is al view similar to Fig. 2 showing the piston at the full limitof its outstrolre and the chamber thereof in position to receive acharge of the motive agent.

Fig. L1 is an elevation of a portionoffone of the'cylinderlinlet valvesandfoperating means for opening the valve at intervals.

rllhe numeral 5 designates a turbine or main driving shaft around whicha series' of cylinders 6 and pistons 7 are located, the pistons beingoperatively connected to the shaft, as shown by Fig. 1, and similarly tothe pistons shown in my patents aforesaid and, therefore, this knownpiston connection neednot be further described as it forms no part ofthe present invention. rlFhe cylin- `ders 6 have outer heads 8 securedthereto and fully open inner end 10. rlihe cylinders 6 and their heads 8also have water jacketsv 9 which will beprovided with a suitable watercirculating means. Each head has a central 'open space or bore 11extending fully therethrough, and around the inner portion of said spaceor bore is a motive agent receiving chamber 12 having an innerterminating valve seat 13. A valve 111 is mounted to operaterelativelyto the seat 13 to con-.

trol communication between the chamber 12' and the interiorof thecylinder 6. rllhis valve 14 has va tubular stem 15 which has a closesliding fit in the space or bore 11 of the head 8, the valve beingcentrally bored, as at 16. To the outer end of the valve stem 15 acoupling` head 17 is fixed, preferably by a separable 4screw threadconnection, as shown, and the free end of a rocking lever 18 is movablyattached to the said head 17 for imparting to the valve stem 15 andvalve thereby regularly. charge the cylinder 6 with the motive agent.The lever 18 is movably held on a fulcrum support 19 which in turn willbe suitably swiveled or mounted to move on a part of the turbine casingas in my prior patented structures hereinbefore noted. The end of therocking lever 18 opposite that attached to the coupling head 17 isengaged by a push-rod 20 arranged and actuated similarly to thecorresponding rod shown and described in my Patent No. 1,219,297.

Within the tubular valve stem 15 a tubular insulator 21 is xed to movetherewith, said insulator being formed of porcelain or other suitablematerial and provided with an outer hemi-spherical closed head 22 and aninner open end 23. Within the insulator 21 is a tubular conductor 24having its inner surface lushwith the similar surfacaof said insulator,the conductor 24 being preferably set in an annular recess 25 of theinsulator. The conductor is a current gathering and storing medium andis fully open at both ends, and between the inner ends of the insulator.21 and conductor 24 and the body of the valve 14 around the bore 16where an annular shoulder 26 is formed an insulat 1g washer 27 isinterposed and provides a tig `t vnon-leakable electric joint with thesaid adjacent parts.. Near the outer extremity of the'insulator, metalor other conducting contacts 28 are set in diametrically oppositeportions thereof and expand through openings 29 formed in the valve stem15. The contacts l28 are fully in engagement with the conductor 24 andcontinually bearing thereagainst are the inner reduced ends oftransmission electrodes 30 of carbon or other suitable material andmovably held in= tubular carriers 31 of non-conducting material. Thecarriers 31 are materially longer than the electrodes 30, and betweenthe outer ends of the latter and an interiorly formed annularshoulder 32of the carriers springs 33 are -mounted and have their respectiveterminals engaging the said outer ends of the electrodes and the heads34 of bolts or pins 35 extending outwardly through the carriers andconducting binding collars 36 held by nuts 37 against the outer ends ofsaid carriers. The carriers 31 are mounted in sockets 38 exteriorlyscrew-threaded to engage laterally projecting seats 39 forming portionsof each head 8, the sockets having stop anges 40 to bear against theouter margins or edges of the seats. The carriers 31 are held in fixedadjustable positions in the sockets 38.by set nuts 41which engage theoutwardly projecting threaded extremities of the said sockets andannular flanges 42 of the carriers. It will be seen that the electrodes30 are` held by insulating means and have ayielding and self-adjustingmovement relatively to the contacts 28 owing to the interposed springs33 which always insure a positive 'and reliable engagement of theelectrodes 30 With the contacts 28, and especially in view of the innerreduced ends'or points of said contacts. If vibration should affect theelectrodes 30 and cause them to have a tendency to move or jump awayfrom the contacts 28, the springs 33 will immediately restore theengagement of the electrodes with the contacts. Wires or conductors 43are attachedto the collars 36 and may run from a magneto and battery, abattery alone, or any other source of electrical generation. The currentpasses from the collars 36 by way of the bolts or pins 35 to the springs33 and thence to the electrodes 30 which in turn transmit the current tothe contacts 28 to electrically-charge or saturate the tubular cnductor24.

Each piston 7 has a compression chamber 44 adjacent to its outerextremity, the latter having a funnel-shaped extension 45 connectedthereto leading to said chamber and provided with an inner valve seat 46with which a valve 47` has movable association. The peripheraledge 48 ofthe valve 47 and the valve seat or edge 46 are so formed that the valvewill close against said seat in an --outward direction, the valveforming a part of the outer wall or top of the chamber 44. The valve 47has a stem 50 projecting outwardly therefrom and slidable through thebore 16 of the valve 14 and in the tubular conductor 24. The stem 50 isof metal and tubular, and between the inner endthereof and the valve 47an insulating ring 49 is mountedto prevent transmission and lcakage ofthe electric current at this point of jointure ofthe said valve and itsstem. A porcelain or other non-conducting tubular inclosure or plug 51is inserted in the valve 'stem 50,'terminating short of the outer end ofsaid stem where a transmission head 52 is provided. rIhe plug 51 extendsthrough the valve 47 and is shouldered against the inner side aroundthe'center of said valve, as at 53, and into an inwardly projectingtubular stop 54 forming part of said valve and carrying opposed inwardlyextending sparking terminals or pins 55 having a ground connectionthrough the valve 47, extension 45, piston 7, cylinder 6 and the turbinecasing. Extendingcentrally through and secured in the head 52 of the`stem 50 and plug 51 is a conducting rod 56 which projects inwardlybeyond 'the inner end of the said plug and into the center of thetubular stop 54 and serves as the electrically active sparking mediumrelatively to the terminals, pins or points 55, and whereby an ignitionmeans is located directly in the compression chamber of the piston. Thestop 54 of the valve 47 is disposed opposite and is adapted to contactlarly constructed and equipped with the'elecf.

tamper with a corresponding stop 57 at thev inner wall of the chamber44'to limit the inward.

tric current conveying and transmission .devices hereinbefore describedand operating at proper intervals or times relatively to each cylinderand piston.

rlhe chambers 12 will be supplied with the vmotive agent in propermixture as in my.

patents aforesaid, and the release or 'eX- hanst of the burned motiveagent is edected through outlets 58 in the'chamber walls and adapted toregister with similar outlets 59" through the cylinder walls, saidoutlets in the complete turbine structure opening into ducts leading torotors or turbine devices as shown by my Apatents herein noted. ln thisinstance also air under pressure from a suitable source is admitted intothe cylinders immediately subsequent to the inition and discharge of themotive agent to scavenge the cylinders and also to cool the heated partsof the turbine, such as the cylinders, pistons,

turbine blades, and the connections rand ducts. rlhe admissionof thisairis through a port 60 having avalve .61 operated' at intervals betweenthe 1 charging of the chambers 44 and discharge of the burned motiveagent from said chambers in a manner similar to the air admissioncontrollingvalveI of my aforesaid patents. The motive agent mixture isregularly supplied to the chamber 12 in the head 8 of each cylinder atproper intervals and the valve 14 vis also opened at corresponding.intervals after, the charge has been received in said chamber and thesupply thereto cut ed; 'lhe valve 14.v is opened to admit the. chargefrom ythe chamber l2 in the cylinder 6 by operation of the 4stem 15throu h the medium of the mecha nism hereinbe ore described, -all of themov-V able parts acting with timed movements .without interference. Thecharging of the chamber 44 ofthe piston. 7 ensues during the outstrokeofsaid piston -and subsequent, to the full discharge ofa burned chargefrom said chamber 44, and also after the cylinders 6 and said chamber 44having been fully scavenged by the air under pressure admitted to thecylinder and chamber `just as the piston starts on its outstroke. itsthe pisi ton starts on its outstroke, through the operation of theconnection therefor relatively to 'the shaft 5 from the position shownbyFig.

2' sudicient inward force is exerted'on the stem 50 by reason of itsclose fitting engagementfwith the tubular conductor 24 and also thevalve 47 to-open the latter valve' While ,the piston continues tomovevoutwardly and the air adltted tothe cylinder passes into the loutwardly 'ductor," to the conducting rod 56' from charge is admittedinto the" cylinder in suitable predetermined volumes the valve 14l isclosed and the pistonvcontinues to move and the motive agent is forcedinto the chamber 44 under pressure. 'lhe charge in thechamber 44 causesthe valve 47 to close when the ressure of said charge reaches a degreesu mechanical resist'ances to such valve closure,

- and when the piston reachesthe limit of its outer stroke, as shown byFig. 3, the valve 47 will have been tightly lclosed and will so remainduring the full instroke of said piston. During'the inward movement ofthe motive agent charged piston, the conductor cient lto overcomeall 24is electrically charged, the stem 50 of the valve 47 taking up andconveying the electricity or current from the said conductor, duringmovement of the stem inthe conwhence it is discharged relatively to the,pins or points 55 to Iproduce the ignition spark directly in thecompression chamberl 44 of the piston. By means of suitable tim ingmechanism, this ignition spark will be produced 'by the means justspecified at such intervals as will be most' edective in igniting thecharge of motive agent in the chamber y 44. 'llhe ignition of the motiveagent in the chamber 44 will take place when the piston is far enoughout from .the cylinder outlets 59 to permit the 'confined mbtive agentcharge to be completely r[burned prior to the vregistration of. theoutlets. 58 bf the chamber 44 with the cylinderl outlets 59. llt will beunderstood that the sparkingbetween the inner end of the rod 56. andtheterminals, pins or points 55 will be eHectedl by the action ofthe timerthat will be included in the circuit with the 'wires48 while theseveral' insulating or-non-conducting ele- `ments. are in adjacentrelationship orl in such positions as to defeat any possibility of a`full loutstroke of the pistons.v i ln the arshort circuit currentensuing, and, prefer# rangement shown, the insulating washers or collars27 and 49 are contiguous when each piston is at the limit of itsoutstrolre` and, hence, there could be no short circuit of thecurrent'possi'ble and prevention of the short circuit would ensue lforsome little time during the inward movement ofthe piston fromits fulloutstrolie positionpor ian so long as the said insulating washers orcollars were in such adj acency as to prevent exposure of the metalparts to the stem 50. It will also be understood that the moment atwhich the sparking and ignition is effected with relation to each pistonmay be obviously modied by changing the position ofv the insulatingdevices just explained. The purpose of igniting the charge in cachpiston at some part of the outstroke or ad- ,Jacent to the limit of theoutstroke thereof is to effect a thorough burning of the charge withinthe piston chamber before the charge is liberated through the outlets 59and then to the blades of the turbine. When this outlet registrationdoes ensue, the burned motive agent charge instantly discharges to therotor or turbine device and the cylinder 6 and chamber 44 are thenpromptly scav enged or cleaned by a charge of air, as hereinbeforeexplained. A similar operation will be effected in all the cylinders andpistons at regular intervals, or, -in only a par-t of the ,cylindersand-pistons 1n accordance with the vload on the turbine, as clearlydescribed in my patents herein noted. The cylinder and piston operationsabove described will also able with said chamber, and driven means towhich the piston is connected.

2. A cylinder for a gas turbine having a reciprocating piston providedwith a compression chamber for a motive agent, ignition means havingsparking components lo cated directly in said chamber and movable withthe latter and the piston, and driven means to which the piston isconnected.

3. A cylinder for a gas turbine having a reciprocating member providedwith a compression chamber for a motive agent, and igi Intion meanshavlng sparkm `components j located directly in said cham er and movabletherewith. l

4.l A cylinder fora gas turbine having a reciprocating piston providedwith acompression chamber for a motiveV agent, ignition means comprisingan electrical accumulating device and acondllcting means movablein thesaid accumulating device and in part extending into the compressionchamber, the said chamber also having sparking devices co-v operatingwithl theconducting means, and

ition means having spark-- driven means to Which'the piston isconnected.

5. A cylinder for a gas turbine having a reciprocating piston providedwith a compression chamber for a motive agent, ignition means comprisinga tubular electrlcal accumulator,means for :supplying current to saidaccumulator, a conductor movable in the accumulator and also projectinginto and having fixed position in the compression chamber, thecompression chamber being also provided with sparking components tocooperate with the conductor, and driven means to which the pi'ston isconnected.

6. A cylinder for a gas turbine having a reciprocating piston providedwith a compression chamber for a motive agent, ignition means'comprisinga movable accumulator and a movable conductor Working in the accumulatorand in part projecting into and havin a fixed position in thecompression chamber, the said chamber being also provided with sparkingdevices coperating with the conductor, and driven means to Which thepiston is connected.

7. A cyllnder for a gas turbine having a reciprocating piston providedwith a compression chamber for a motive agent, the said chamber alsohaving a motive agent receiving chamber provided with a valve having areciprocating tubular stem, an electrical tubular conductor mounted insaid valve stem, insulating means forthe stem and conductor, contactdevices engaging opposite portions of the conductor, electrodesyieldingly engaging the contact devices and connectible to a source ofelectrical energy, a valve forming part of the compression chamber andhaving a stem with a conductor therein, the conductor being insulatedand having conducting means between the same and the said tubularconductor and valve stem in which the compression chamber valve stem hassliding movement, the conductor of the compression chamber valve stemprojecting into and having iixed position in the compression chamber,and sparking devices alsoheld within the-compression chamber incoperative relation`to the said conductor of the compression chambervalve stem. A

8. A cylinder for a gas turbine having a reciprocating piston thereinprovided with'a y compression chamber for a motive agent, said cylinderalso having a motive agent receiving chamber, a valve controlling theadmission cf the motive agent from the ref ceiving chamber into thecylinder, said valve being provided with a tubular stem having anelectrical conducting accumulator therein also of tubular form,insulating devices between the'tubular accumulator 'and the the saidtubular accumulatoryie1dingly -said valve stem, contact devices engagingLawns mounted electrodes engaging the contact devices, means forreciprocating' the valve stem and the conducting accumulator to open andclose the valve of the motive agent receiving chamber, an automaticallyoperating compression chamber valve having sparking devices fixedthereto and provided With a stem extending' upwardly through the firstmentioned valve into the tubularl conducting accumulator, and aconductor held Within the stem of the valve of the compression chamberand exposed with a lln testimony whereof l[ have hereunto sety my handin presence oftwo subscribing witnesses.

LEWllS A. HAUTES. Witnesses:

JOHN STODDARD, ANTOINETTE LGER.

